Angel Wings
by Rusty-chan
Summary: Hitomi is a halfling, at night she becomes the Huntress and hunts draconians. But what happens when one draconian steals her heart and a vicious vampire looking for revenge is reborn within her? V/H FIC! R&R!!!
1. Prologue: Blood and Tears

Angel Wings  
  
Prologue: Blood and Tears  
  
By: Rusty-chan  
  
Read and Review Please!  
  
It was so awful…that night, everything changed. I remember even now 13 years later every description so perfectly. My mother and father's torn bodies mercilessly slashed and stabbed lying lifeless on the ground.  
  
My emerald eyes trembled with fear as I thought back how they had protected me and had told me to run just before their own relatives, murdered them. I stood there my back against the wall frozen as I looked up at the smirks and hungry teeth shown by my relatives.  
  
My five year-old mind raced with hundreds of feelings, my blood seemed to just stop in my veins and my heart pounded hard against my chest as if it were going to jump out. There stood my own relatives, some with pitchforks and meat cleavers covered and dripping with blood, others with mouths full of blood and licking their mouths ever so often with their tongues.  
  
I remembered how disgusted and horrified I was. I felt the fire of our burning house start to torch my back, but for some reason I remained frozen. As I looked up at them shaking with fear they seemed to drink in the pleasure of it.  
  
Then all I remember was closing my eyes as perspiration dripped down my forehead and off my nose, the sounds of the fire so close around me burning violently as I turned my back to my relatives and raced towards the back door. In those few seconds or so I felt as if my knees and legs would almost give out on me, but I continued to push forward, more afraid of being captured then burning in this very house.  
  
My mind couldn't focus and neither could my eyes as I raced toward the door my emerald eyes started to pour fresh tears from so much smoke and I could feel my lungs being smothered as I continued to race toward the door. Bloodthirsty murderers right on my tracks, but…somehow I made it. I never knew exactly how because that's when my mind just gave out from all the smoke exhaustion and went black along with my vision and all I remember was feeling the cool outside breeze on my skin and the wind racing through my hair. I could smell the sweet air and felt the grass as I feel onto the ground and then my senses all went dead and only one thing remained…I was alone…my parents murdered, and just one question remained, WHY?  
  
  
  
(It is now 13,000 years after this experience…)  
  
AN: More is coming soon! This is just the beginning of a great, long story hopefully ^^! Remember review and I hope you all are questioning it because the first chapter will answer probably most of your questions! Anyways look for the soon out coming chapter 1 of Angel Wings! Oh and by the way its 13,000 years later in human years, but in vampire years its only 13 years so just thought I would let you all know ^^. Later see you all in the next chapter! 


	2. Chapter 1: First Meeting

Angel Wings  
  
Chapter 1: First Meeting  
  
By: Rusty-chan  
  
Read and Review Please!  
  
The sunlight poured in on a young eighteen year old girl with sandy blonde hair cut short at a little lower than her ears and the brightest, clearest emerald eyes in the world. If you looked hard, enough you could probably see your reflection in her eyes.  
  
"Hitomi!" An old woman proceeded into the room and walked over to the young girl's bedside, she proceeded to shake the girl slowly and then harder.  
  
The young girl opened her eyes slowly and yawned, she brought a hand to her mouth and proceeded to take a glance at her watch, "OH MY GOD! I AM GOING TO BE LATE!"  
  
The sandy blonde haired female threw the covers off her and nearly knocked the older woman aside. Hitomi hesitated for a second and looked up at the older woman, "Oh good morning Elsie," she smiled and then glared softly at the woman, "Why didn't you wake me up on time!" Hitomi whined softly as the older woman placed her hands on her hips and laughed through words.  
  
"Well, Hitomi…I tried many times before but you're a heavy sleeper and I mean heavy! You actually fell asleep on the couch last night and I dragged you up here!" The woman pretended to flex her muscles and Hitomi giggled along with her.  
  
Hitomi looked up at Elsie making contact with her eyes, she smiled lightly, Elsie was about Hitomi's height just a little shorter, she had grayish hair tied back in a ponytail that she had hanging over her shoulder. Her eyes were a soft dim bluish grayish color, and she was wearing an apron over her morning church clothes, obviously, she had been cooking.  
  
Hitomi sniffed the air gently, "What are you cooking?" She brought her head back down to eye level with Elsie and proceeded to take another whiff of the air as Elsie cleared her throat.  
  
"Yes I fixed you breakfast but you better hurry now, you don't want to be late for your summer job at the library! It's already 10:30 am! Hurry girl!" Elsie proceeded to help yank the panic stricken girl off the bed and steadied her on her own two feet.  
  
Hitomi smiled warmly, "Thanks Elsie!" The young emerald eyed female then proceeded to search through her dresser for some wearable clothes. She finally decided on a pair of short cut denim jeans, a stripped tank top that was all pink with just a horizontal yellow thick strip through the middle and brown sandals. Then she raced into the bathroom.  
  
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About twenty minutes later a panic stricken and time pressured Hitomi raced out of the door of the small hut. As she ran down the sidewalk, she not only tried to devour a piece of toast that remained protruding from her mouth but she tried to finish combing her hair.  
  
"Man I am going to be SO LATE!" Hitomi whined loudly as she threw the comb in her bag that she had slung over her shoulder and finished gulping down the last few pieces of the toast. "Allen is going to be so pissed at me! Oh gods…run faster Hitomi!" She whimpered and gasped breath after breath as she quickened her pace a bit and raced down the sidewalk.  
  
Middle way down the sidewalk something made Hitomi stopped, her superior instincts kicked in and she sniffed the air gently, "Who's there?" She scanned the area with her eyes; someone was watching her but from where? Hitomi's eyes fell upon a pair of crimson eyes set in the trees above her, their eyes locked and then the figure darted out of her line of vision.  
  
"Wait!" She hollered after the shadow figure but it moved too quick for her, Hitomi bit her lip and stopped to catch her breath, 'Was that…a draconian?" She thought silently to herself 'But…I have never seen any draconian with crimson eyes like that before…"  
  
Hitomi's thoughts were interrupted as she watched a single angel feather fall to the ground, she walked towards it and gently picked it up, in her palm she examined it, "Had to be…a draconian…" She paused and closed her eyes letting her vampire senses take control and let her tune into the world around her, 'What was I thinking anyways, they aren't all destroyed yet, no…not yet, but they will be, tonight…I hunt'. Hitomi heard her watch beep and pulled her senses to a halt as she realized the time, once again she turned panic stricken and raced down the rest of the way to the library screaming, "I'M GOING TO BE LATE!"  
  
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As Hitomi neared the library, she was huffing and puffing from so much running, and as her hazy fogged over eyes danced from the ground to the sky she didn't realize where she was going and bumped into someone.  
  
"I'm so Sorry! I didn't see where I was going!" The young sandy blonde haired female looked up to examine the poor innocent bystander she had hit, but instead she was caught with surprise at the not so innocent person she had bumped into.  
  
"Allen?" The emerald-eyed girl held a shocked expression on her face.  
  
Allen chuckled, "Hello Hitomi, your late…as always," He shrugged and continued to laugh a bit. Allen was about 6' or so and had long blonde hair, it went down to about his waist maybe even longer but he had it tied into a limp ponytail in the back. He had dazzling starlight blue eyes and held a regal air about him, but Hitomi knew better, he was a womanizer and had even tried to ask her out many times but she only agreed to being his partner to get him off her back.  
  
"Yes nice to see you too Allen," Hitomi bowed and gritted her teeth as she felt a bad taste well up in her mouth from showing so much friendliness towards this jerk. 'God I feel like I am going to puke, quick the bush over there!' The young sandy blonde haired female raced over to a bush by the library fence and proceeded to throw up the bad taste contents in her mouth.  
  
Allen stroked back a lock of hair out of his eyes and looked over at the poor Hitomi, he laughed and gently reached his hand down to stroke her hips, he started to go lower when Hitomi brought herself back up. She had an angry and flustered look on her face at the same time, brought up her hand slowly, and drove it seamlessly across Allen's cheek causing a huge sound of WHAP!  
  
Allen blinded almost from the attack, stumbled back a bit and held one hand over his red cheek wincing a bit in pain. "What was that for?" He snapped back at her.  
  
Hitomi turned her back to him and huffed, "Well…PERVERT…maybe you should next time keep your hands in your pockets…WHERE THEY BELONG!" Hitomi stomped off towards the library as she left a stunned and hurting Allen to tag-along.  
  
Allen hesitated a moment before following Hitomi, he heard soft laughter somewhere and looked around for the source but could not find it. He brushed the awkward feeling away and continued on. In the tree above a pair of gentle crimson eyes glowed.  
  
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Hitomi turned the corner nearing the library and smiled as she realized that she gained a few miles or so on Allen.  
  
"That jerk…" Hitomi huffed some as she spoke softly almost in a whisper; her voice was completely hoarse almost from running so hard. She slowly paced towards the library doors. As she began to open them, she felt the cold air conditioning breeze pour over her face and streak through her hair. Hitomi closed her eyes and let the breeze overwhelm her as she wiped a bit of the sweat from her running off her forehead. All too suddenly, Hitomi's welcomed peace was shattered by the thundering screams of her boss.  
  
"KANZAKI!" Hitomi's boss Mr. Hugo's thunderous screams shook throughout the entire library as he stomped up to the innocent, pale, emerald eyed girl.  
  
Hitomi gulped, she knew that she was about to get not only the longest and most boring lecture on the planet but also she might not get her pay for today and that would totally SUCK!  
  
"Kanzaki your over an hour late! I should just fire you, but since we barely get any help around here I will have to overlook your tardiness AGAIN, for the sake of this library!" Mr. Hugo preached aloud and clear for everyone to hear.  
  
'He makes it seem like my mistake of being tardy all the time will cost him his job and besides I don't give a crap what he thinks…his preaching is falling on deaf ears' Hitomi thought silently to herself as she pretended to listen to the warthog's words.  
  
Mr. Hugo was a short stubby man just over a little taller than Hitomi, but he had the stomach to make up for his height, he looked like a bowling ball is what Hitomi always said. He even wore a toupee and coke bottle classes that rested uneasily on the end of his huge nose.  
  
Hitomi watched as the man made eye contact with her and squinted with his beady eyes through his coke bottle framed glasses. "Now get to work! And clean up those fallen book cases over there!" He pointed to a corner in the library where a few couple hundred of books had fallen off probably due to some little kids.  
  
Hitomi sighed and marched over, as she passed the stubby man she breathed silently under her breath, "Fat-ass bastard…"  
  
At that moment Hitomi saw Allen crawling up the steps, he really must have tried to keep up with her and looked like he was about to die with all the panting and huffing he was doing. Hitomi planted a huge smirk on her face and almost died laughing, but then she groaned at what Mr. Hugo said next, "Schezard! Help Miss Kanzaki out here with her picking up of fallen books, and make it worth her while…"  
  
Mr. Hugo smirked over at the sandy-blonde haired female and laughed viciously.  
  
'That rotten bastard! Ugh…my day is turning out to be so wasted…I DON'T BELIEVE MY STUPID LUCK!' The emerald-eyed female groaned loudly and blew some strands of her hair out of her eyes as she trotted off toward the bookcases with Allen hot on her tail.  
  
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Later that day after the library Hitomi came home to her adoptive mother tired and exhausted from all that heavy book hauling.  
  
"God…" The young sandy blonde haired female threw herself onto her bed and sighed heavily as her mother, Elsie, walked in softly and tapped on the wall, "Is it ok if I join you dear?"  
  
Hitomi nodded her head.  
  
Hitomi propped herself up a bit against the bed post as Elsie sat down at the end of the bed, she looked at Hitomi with a grave expression in her eyes. "Why are you so tired?"  
  
The eighteen year old female laughed sarcastically and then replied with very little amusement, "Mr. Hugo gave me his speech again today and forced me to clean up more than a hundred or so books that had fallen off some shelves, besides that Allen was suppose to help but all he did was make more attempts at my body. I swear that one day I don't care if Allen isn't what I hunt I am going to kill him still!" The young female raised her fist up and shook it furiously.  
  
Elsie laughed a bit and placed her hand of her mouth, "Calm down, we don't want to murder the innocent you remember your job and I do as well. Although I do admit it is so tempting and he is such a flirt and womanizer, you would be doing the whole community a favor if you got rid of Allen but sorry the law prevents you."  
  
Elsie lowered her head a bit and sighed with depression.  
  
Hitomi looked over at her adoptive mother and smiled gently, "It's alright, then again what I hunt already is against the law but the law doesn't know whom they really are…" Hitomi smirked and licked her lips gently giggling.  
  
Elsie looked back up at her foster daughter and nodded, "Yes…but I wish that we didn't have to shed so much blood, are you sure that this is all necessary for your revenge? I mean…so many of them have to die and yet you still don't stop, you act almost as ruthless as them when they hunt at night filling their lust for blood…"  
  
"SHUT UP! How dare you compare me to them! Those veil creatures that dare walk this earth when they have committed such a sin against me and all humans!" Hitomi angrily brought her fist down into the bed and shook violently with rage as tears began to stream from her eyes.  
  
Elsie covered her mouth with shock as she watched the emerald eyed girl weep feverishly, carefully she gently bent over and touched her shoulder softly with a hand, "Hitomi…" She spoke almost in a whisper being careful not to upset the young girl more.  
  
Hitomi brought her head up, what Elsie saw shocked her even more. Hitomi's eyes were burning with tears, fresh and old, and her entire face was red with anger. Elsie felt Hitomi's shoulder shake uncontrollably under her grip.  
  
"I understand…I am sorry…I can never understand what you went through but I still think of you as my daughter, my only one, and…I just worry about you and don't want to see you get hurt. Please…promise me that once you are over with your hunts that you will live the rest of your life here with me and be a normal girl…" Elsie's old wrinkled face seem to try and place a smile on itself but she was still filled with worry and all that her face could manage was half between a smile and a frown.  
  
Hitomi placed her left hand on Elsie's and used her right to wipe away the tears as she slowly started to calm down and sighed once more before speaking, "I promise Elsie…but," She squeezed Elsie's hand a bit more before removing it gently and placing it upon the covers of the bed, "I will never be normal…" She turned her eyes away from Elsie's line of vision as she shadowed herself in shame, "I will…will…always…"  
  
Elsie watched as the girl shook once more, but this time with sadness and shame shadowing over her.  
  
"I will always be a freak!" Hitomi screamed loudly, fresh new tears escaped from her eyes and her eyes became puffy once more as they reddened with sadness. "Never will I be normal for I am a halfling and always will be one!" Hitomi cried even harder now as she yelled at the top of her lungs with displeasure.  
  
Then something surprising happened. Elsie grabbed the young girl, wrapped her up tightly in her frail but still strong arms and pulled Hitomi's head against her breast, caressing her hair gently as she whispered words through strands of sandy blonde hair.  
  
"My daughter…you pressure your self so much with your past, put it behind you…and once you forget it you can live a normal life. Don't think about who you were, think about who you are now, you aren't the same person anymore, you are my daughter, the one I love and the one this community loves. Sure you are half vampire and half human but still…think of it as a gift not as a curse and you will be able to get on with your life." Elsie held the girl tightly in her grasp as she gently leaned down and kissed the shaking girl's forehead and smiled as she nuzzled her nose in Hitomi's hair.  
  
Hitomi's face flustered as she felt the warmth radiate from both bodies and closed her eyes starting to relax in Elsie's strong but comforting embrace.  
  
"Thank you Elsie…your right," Hitomi murmured through breaths softly as she felt her self-slip into a light slumber.  
  
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In the old abandoned museum just on the outskirts of town, in the basement rested a huge coffin with gold print on it that said, "Do not open till sun set"  
  
From the top of the stairs leading down into the basement a figure appeared and down walked a young youth of about the age of nineteen, he was the draconian Hitomi had spotted early who had the crimson eyes. He was about 5'8" with black moppy hair sticking out here and there. He wore long black tight jeans, red muscle shirt that cut off at just above his belly button (it also gave good appearance to his young youthful muscles); over this, he wore a jet-black trench coat that reached down to about his a little below his calves. He also had on black gloves that reached up to the wrists, and finally to top it all off he wore nothing on his feet for he usually flew all the time.  
  
In the moonlight, he gently opened his mouth and let his long sharp fangs glimmer in the moonlight as he licked over them gently being careful not to draw blood from him. He slowly made his way toward the coffin, shuffling his feet as he made his way, once there he gently unlatched the three locks with his super strength and slide off the cover throwing it aside. Then he proceeded to step aside, kneel on one knee, and lower his head as if bowing to royalty. Not too long after the coffin top was removed, a pair of yellowish eyes glowed inside the darkness of the coffin and soon out came another draconian. This draconian was like 6'1" or so; he looked about twenty-seven or so and had light bluish hair that stood up kind of.  
  
The older draconian gently yawned and stretched, as he did this his white wings shot out from his back and he smiled softly closing his eyes as he addressed the other youth draconian.  
  
"Van…you may rise now…" The older draconian pronounced with deepness in his voice.  
  
The younger draconian proceeded to rise and bowed respectfully as he came up beside the older draconian. "Brother…it is finally sun set and the Huntress will begin her new hunt soon…"  
  
The older draconian opened up his eyes and smiled warmly, "Yes…Van…what a lovely young girl she is…how foolish youths are…" A wide evil smirk crossed his face as he laughed softly and turned to Van.  
  
Van stiffened up and tried to look tough as his brother spoke to him.  
  
"Do you remember your training Van?" His brother spoke to him softly but in a firm tone at the same time.  
  
Van nodded at this.  
  
"You must assassinate the Huntress and get her out of our hair once and for all…for see…" The older draconian turned his back to Van and walked a little ways forward, "She…is the reason we have been suffering a lost in most of our hunts for blood to satisfy our craving. She is a nuisance and one that we can't let live…" He turned back towards Van and walked towards him a little, placing his hand on Van's right shoulder he smiled wickedly, "Do you understand?"  
  
Van's crimson eyes glowed wickedly as he nodded with eagerness, "Yes…" He gently let his fangs show once more and licked his lips delighted, "I will kill her…and make her stay for dead!"  
  
In that instant Van teleported out of the basement and to the outside where he headed into the village once more to track the Huntress and end her life for good.  
  
Back at the run down museum, the older draconian snapped his fingers and forth came another draconian out of mid air. This one was a young girl about Hitomi's age, maybe a littler taller, her eyes burned a clear watery blue, she had long brownish blonde hair tied back in a pony tail. Her outfit was a long scarlet dress that had slits cut up the sides that went to about her hips and she wore red heels with it.  
  
"Yes, Lord Folken?" The young female draconian answered back.  
  
"Millerna…" The older draconian turned. He smiled with pleasure as he walked towards the girl and placed both hands on her shoulders. He proceeded to lick her lips and then kiss her passionately.  
  
After he had pulled back to catch air he whispered softly in her ear, "Follow Van…make sure he doesn't mess up this time…" He then kissed her ear gently and watched as she shivered gently and replied breathless, "Yes…Lord Folken."  
  
She then vanished.  
  
Folken walked towards the middle of the basement and looked out the window staring up at the full moon, he whispered gently, "Tonight…Huntress…you will be ours…" His eyes flared violently and then he brought up a hand and made his fingernails sprout out long like blades.  
  
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Back at the small hut, Hitomi was getting ready for her night of hunting, Elsie watched her foster daughter with worried and teary eyes as she dressed and prepared herself.  
  
"Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if you hadn't come to me…and then I think…how glad I am that you are the person you are…or else I might have never found such a wonderful foster daughter like you." Elsie smiled letting the wrinkles on her face move upward with her smile as a single tear dropped from her eyes. She quickly wiped it away and covered her mouth, turning her head away from Hitomi's sight as she rushed out of the room too teary eyed to control herself anymore.  
  
Hitomi looked up and sighed, this was hard for both her and Elsie but she had to do this to avenge her parents' ruthless murder. She just had to…and yet, was this the right thing? She was hurting Elsie so much, and Elsie had done so much for her…she practically raised her since she was six…and was the only friend in the world she had after the rest of the world had turned their backs on her and shunned her for her differences.  
  
"I'm sorry Elsie…for everything" Hitomi whispered as she finished zipping up the zippers on the sides of her knee long black boots. She then proceeded to throw on her black trench coat and tighten the short black skirt that she wore. Her hunting outfit also consisted of a pink tank top under the trench coat. In the trench coat she carried fifty or so knives, two dozen or so of some small star shaped things that you threw as well, and if those two things were not enough she also carried a long blade that remained loose in its sheath, which was tied tightly at her side.  
  
Hitomi slowly lifted her head and gazed into the mirror at her "other self" as she always called it. She smiled softly, examining herself as she turned around some in the mirror and checked the outfit that she felt was a second skin, for she almost always put it on every night at sun set.  
  
"Too bad…that those free days as a child are over…now that I know I must avenge my parents' death, I have become…The Huntress…" Hitomi sighed and slowly took another breathe of air before walking out of her room and proceeding over to Elsie's bedroom to say goodbye.  
  
As she neared the door, she could hear the cries of the old woman, it made her heart sink deep in her chest and she swallowed hard trying to not let her emotions overwhelm her.  
  
"Elsie?" The emerald-eyed female reached out to touch the old woman's shoulder as she neared her crying foster mother.  
  
Elsie turned and pulled away suddenly, her body shook as she leaned against the back of the bed. "Don't come near me Hitomi…I am ok…just…I get so afraid that one day I will loose you and never have you in my life again. I would never forgive myself if I knew that I could have prevented your death by keeping you home when I needed you most." Elsie's pale grayish bluish eyes glimmered as tears started to well up.  
  
Hitomi's throat seemed to be stuck and the loss of words was prominent as she felt herself choke with emotion and tears welling up inside of her. Somehow she managed to purse her lips and then speak the words, "I promise…Elsie…that I will come back to you after this night…"  
  
Elsie brought her head up and looked into Hitomi's emerald-eyes once more, she could see that Hitomi was hurting too and watched as the sandy blonde haired female sat down on the bed next to her and reached out one of her hands.  
  
Elsie grabbed it and kissed it gently then let go and nodded, she watched as her adopted daughter walked from the room and exited through one of the hallway windows out in the darkness of the night to begin her hunt.  
  
Elsie smiled softly and spoke in a whisper as another tear fell and wet the bed sheets, "That's what you say every night…"  
  
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Outside the night air was freezing, it bit at Hitomi's thighs, ears, and face as she raced across the street and sidewalk, scanning the area with her vampire senses.  
  
It was amazing how at night when she gained full potential of her vampire side how fast she could run, covering some 3 to 5 miles in a few minutes. Of course jumping was another possibility but still, she preferred the running to jumping and climbing. For some reason it didn't suit her and she remembered the last bad experience she had one her second hunting night when she wore a skirt as well and had it catch on a limb and she almost broke her neck. Not to mention that she would end up bait for a draconian if she hadn't gotten out of there so quick. Short skirts fit her more now, even thought they didn't keep her as warm, they let her run faster and let her not have to worry about them getting in the way when she fought.  
  
Hitomi for some reason found her mind drifting off to that strange occurrence today on her way to the library. She found herself yearning to find that one draconian who had spied on her, maybe even teach him a lesson for following The Huntress. Hitomi smirked gently as she continued her pace at full speed down the rest of Millbury Street.  
  
Suddenly something caught Hitomi's vampire senses and she alerted all her senses to home in on the smell. It wasn't a new one to her though. She could detect and identify that smell a mile away; it was the smell of a fresh draconian. The smell was coming from the park on Cherry Tree Forest Lane! Hitomi kicked into overdrive and raced towards it.  
  
'This night might not be so boring after all, I might even have a little fun and sport' Hitomi chuckled to herself silently.  
  
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In the park, Van was waiting for Hitomi, he quietly sat on a bench near the park fountain knowing that she would show up soon enough and he wouldn't have to spend all the time hunting her down since she did a good enough job of that herself.  
  
Just as he had guessed suddenly a blast of air flew over the area and soon enough Hitomi appeared in the entranceway to the park near the fountain, she spotted Van instantly and grinned.  
  
"So you're the one I sensed." Hitomi stared at Van viciously with anger.  
  
"You know it so interesting that you have to run your way here, why can't you just teleport, that would seem so much more the vampire thing to do. Oh, wait! I just remembered that you're a halfling and part human as well so you can't do that, silly me!" Van raised one of his gloved hands to his mouth and laughed mockingly at Hitomi, he watched as her face boiled with anger.  
  
"I see that you will be a fun one to put an end to with all your jokes!" Hitomi growled with intense anger as she fingered the handle of her long blade at her side.  
  
"You know…" Van walked closer to Hitomi and grinned showing his fangs in the moonlight, "I always wondered why you held such a grudge against us…I mean, what did we ever do to you?" He started to circle Hitomi his crimson eyes watching her carefully and glowing ever so brightly.  
  
Hitomi followed him with her eyes as well making eye contact with him as he paced around, she turned her lips down in disgust and replied, "Your ancestors' murdered my parents!" Without thinking, Hitomi let her anger overwhelm her and in a quick precise motion out came the long blade, Van of course had predicted this and casually stepped back, chuckling a bit.  
  
Van's eyes brightened as he watched Hitomi huff with her anger, it growing all the time. Van fingered the end of the blade gently with his right- gloved hand and pulled it to his lips licking it gently. He then proceeded to cut a small slit with the blade into his tongue and watched as blood dropped from his tongue onto the blade. He smiled wickedly as he watched the young sandy blonde haired girl freeze for a second unsure of what to think of his actions.  
  
"Isn't this the blood of mine you so viciously seek?" Van asked knowingly, "Sometimes I think you crave blood just as much as I do…you just might learn to love it if you taste it once…" Van pushed the blade away for a second and reached out with his left hand grabbing Hitomi's chin as he pulled her closer he grinned evilly. He quickly pressed his lips to hers and placed his tongue in her mouth letting her get the taste of the blood still dripping from his palette.  
  
Hitomi's eyes widen with shock as she felt him deepen the kiss, she quickly pushed him away and coughing and spitting at the ground in disgust.  
  
"You draconians are all alike!" She slowly brought her head back up and looked at him glaring gently, "Filthy scum bags that I can't stand at all!" Hitomi cried angrily but this time made sure to keep her emotions in check.  
  
"I'm sorry you feel that way…" Van licked his lips once more and finally brought his tongue back in, smiling gently as the pale moonlight streaked across his face, his crimson eyes glowing with excitement.  
  
Hitomi brought the end of the long blade back to his chest and steadied it, "Now I will finish what I came here for…" She eyed Van.  
  
"It really is such a shame that I will have to kill you now as well…" Van sighed and snapped his fingers lightly.  
  
Hitomi watched as her sword flew from her hand to the ground and when she reached for it vines grew around it preventing it from retrieval.  
  
"You…Bastard!" Hitomi pulled out two knives from her one pocket in her trench coat and threw them at Van, she watched with displeasure as he directed them back at her and drove them deep into her right shoulder and lower leg.  
  
Hitomi clenched her teeth and felt her skin rip and give way as the knives dug themselves deep in her calf and shoulder. Pain wrecked her body as she stumbled back a bit.  
  
"Are you sure your really the Huntress?" Van placed a forefinger and thumb to his lips as he thought, "I mean you are pretty easy to take down, I was hoping for more of a challenge…oh well…better get this done quick now…" Van closed his eyes and crossed his arms, he winced a bit in pain as white wings sprouted out of his back and shimmered in the milky moonlight.  
  
Hitomi's eyes were hazy as her body filled with pain from the two wounds, she couldn't focus as Van flew toward her and pinned her against a cement wall with both his hands gripped tightly around her neck.  
  
Hitomi tried to pull his hands off but he was so much stronger than she was and the wounds kept reminding her body of what it had to concentrate on more.  
  
Hitomi started to feel herself beginning to choke, she was loosing air and felt her lungs starting to cave in slowly, 'Is this the end for me finally? After all these nights of hunting…I have finally met my match…' Hitomi smiled weakly as her vision went black.  
  
Van kept a tight hold on her neck as he continued to squeeze. "Man…its too bad that this pretty beauty has to die, and especially after barely putting up a fight."  
  
Suddenly as Hitomi's death, neared close a white light engulfed the entire park area around the fountain. Van felt himself being thrown off Hitomi and watched as his hands loosened their grip and he flew backwards onto the ground. Hitomi's now lifeless body fell to the ground limp and unmoving, propped up against the cement wall.  
  
"What…what was that?" Van shook his head and his eyes focused back, he turned and saw a figure step into his line of vision. "Who's there!" He shouted.  
  
'A young girl? No…a young cat girl?' Van examined the figure hard and propped himself up on his hands trying to get a clearer picture at the thing that had interrupted his moment of triumph.  
  
"Prince Van of the draconians, keep your hands off The Huntress…or answer to me!" The feline girl stepped into view and pushed back a strand of her pink hair gracefully as she let her head once more drop to her side. The girl looked about fifteen or so and had pinkish hair which was cut short at about her shoulders, she was part feline and part human, she wore a simple dress that cut off at her knees it was all yellow with white spots on it.  
  
"Who…who are you?" Van demanded loudly, he slowly began to stand, ready to fight back if necessary.  
  
"You can call me Merle…if you must, but I ask that you kindly hand over The Huntress or else I will blast another bolt your way Prince," The feline smiled delighted at her accomplishment.  
  
Van clenched both his gloved hands into fists, he steadied himself and looked down smirking, "You think I will hand her over that easily?" He laughed under his breath a bit.  
  
Suddenly Millerna appeared, standing on the top of the cement wall above Hitomi, "Van forget the girl and hurry! We will get her later, right now we must regroup and assess the situation," The young female draconian had her arms crossed and looked determined.  
  
Van growled and brought his head back up to look at Millerna, "I can handle this, SHUT UP!" He glared at her viciously.  
  
Millerna smirked and replied, "Don't be foolish, your brother wouldn't forgive you and ever let you hunt again if you screw up now, so I suggest that you come with me."  
  
Van growled again and nodded solemnly. The two draconians disappeared with a blink of the eye.  
  
Merle hurried over to Hitomi's lifeless body, she carefully pulled out the two knives and held her hand over the wounds. Her hands began to glow and in an instant the wounds were healed, she did the job so well that it looked like there hadn't even been any wounds there.  
  
Soon after that Hitomi began to regain consciousness and she moaned softly as her, eyes slowly but surely began to open and blink trying to focus in on her surroundings.  
  
"Wha…what happened?" Hitomi lifted up her right arm and placed her right hand on her head, "God I have a splitting headache…"  
  
Merle smiled and giggled, "Well I healed your wounds but I can't heal a splitting headache…sorry,"  
  
Hitomi's eyes widen, "WHO ARE YOU?" The sandy blonde haired female backed away against the cement wall and held a shocked expression on her face.  
  
Merle giggled, "Oh yeah…I'm…"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
AN: Yeah I know it seemed somewhat rushed at the end, but still I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I stayed up until 3 am to write this and dad was yelling at me anyway so I rather hurried to get to bed. Anyways, I was lucky to get this out before all my parties on Easter weekend so I have no idea when the next chapter will be up but hopefully soon! I promise to get it out ASAP! Wow, can you imagine Hitomi and Van will fall in love later when now they are at each others' throats? It's somewhat scary in a way but then again they are cute together ^_^. Oh yeah Merle is cool with her powers and I am still unsure of where her character will go but then again I have a lot of time to think so I hope that you think too and remember when you review, give me helpful ideas and stuff, it would help a lot! Your ideas mean a lot to me and I will try to incorporate some into the next chapter if I can, if not then they still help me get ideas! So, send me email also if you want! Anyways see you in the next chapter! Peace out ^_~* 


	3. Chapter 2: Unexpected Events

Angel Wings  
  
Chapter 2: Unexpected Events  
  
By: Rusty-chan  
  
Read and Review Please!  
  
Hitomi panic stricken jammed her body up against the wall as she eyed Merle suspiciously, "Are you one of them?" The emerald-eyed female shouted, she then went to touch her wounds and realized that they had been healed. "Did you heal me?" Hitomi looked up awestruck at Merle wondering how the feline girl could have ever accomplished the task of healing her deep and life threatening wounds.  
  
Merle smiled brightly, "Your welcome…it really was nothing, I have healing abilities and thought I would put them to good use and also if you must know I am not associated at all with the draconians or Prince Van…" Merle tucked her legs under her and scooted closer toward Hitomi, she ever so often checked where the wounds were to make sure that they didn't reopen.  
  
"Prince Van?" Hitomi was startled and shocked at this statement, "Was that the man I just went up against and almost got killed by?"  
  
Merle nodded assuring, "Yes…but I will tell you more once we get you home, Elsie must be sick about you and besides…your still weak from the fight and need rest."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Back at the hut, Elsie tended to Hitomi in her bed upstairs as Merle waited downstairs in the kitchen expectantly.  
  
The old woman's footsteps could soon be heard coming down the steps and she entered the room swiftly taking a seat across the kitchen table from Merle.  
  
"She has drifted off to sleep for now…" Elsie spoke gravely with worry still in her voice as she continued, "I am just glad that she wasn't killed, I owe you so much gratitude Merle…thank you for saving my daughter."  
  
The old woman smiled warmly at Merle who in turn smiled back.  
  
"Your very welcome, it is my job as her new partner," Merle turned her head downwards and spoke with graveness, "The new enemy we are facing is no longer so weak and small, the draconian that almost killed your daughter tonight is named Van Slanzar Fanel…he is the last heir to the legendary Throne of Atlantis…" The pink haired feline's words trailed off a bit as she raised her head to look up at Elsie.  
  
Elsie's eyes shook with fear and Merle could see the worry that this poor woman held in her heart, it stabbing at her so much.  
  
"He is the younger brother of Folken, heir right now of the throne and his powers are extremely advanced. Hitomi wouldn't ever survive right now against him…but with the right training we could prepare her for the upcoming war."  
  
"War?" Elsie's voice seemed to loose itself as her heart sank deep into her chest with fear and agony, "What war?"  
  
The feline girl remained silent for a moment and turned to look at the figure in the doorway. Out of the shadows stepped Hitomi, she had the blanket wrapped about her, but something was wrong with her.  
  
"Hitomi! You should be in bed!" Elsie quickly got up and raced over to Hitomi, she wrapped her arms around the girl and looked down at her face.  
  
What Elsie saw made her shriek and she stepped back slowly, Hitomi's eyes were completely white as if her eyes had rolled into the back of head, her body was freezing and it shook violently as she stepped further into the kitchen.  
  
Merle stood up from her chair and watched suspiciously.  
  
As Hitomi outstretched an arm and walked closer to Elsie, she grew long blades from her fingernails. Elsie covered her mouth and tried to keep herself from screaming.  
  
"Hitomi? What's wrong with you?" Elsie demanded in a nervous and worried tone.  
  
Hitomi pinned Elsie against the wall with her free hand and smiled wickedly showing a pair of fangs protruding from her mouth.  
  
"Hitomi! Stop this at once…" Elsie lost her voice as she watched Hitomi's white eyes glow red and froze with fear as she watched the emerald-eyed female raise the blade like fingers hand above her head ready to stab Elsie to death.  
  
Just then, a white light appeared out of nowhere and knocked Hitomi off Elsie. It threw the halfling to the ground knocking her out almost instantly. After that her eyes returned to normal and the blade like fingers shrunk back into her normal hand, Hitomi lay sprawled out on the blanket on the cold kitchen floor.  
  
Merle raced over to Elsie, she grabbed the woman by both her shoulders and shook her gently as to help bring her out of the shock and fear that had stiffened her body up into a statue like mode.  
  
"Elsie! Snap out of it!" Merle shook the old woman harder now and let the firm tone in her voice raise.  
  
After a few minutes Elsie blinked and finally came to her senses, the grayish bluish-eyed woman looked around the room trying to focus for a second and then saw Hitomi's lifeless body on the floor.  
  
"Hitomi!" The old woman raced over to Hitomi's fallen body and picked up the girl's upper body in her arms, resting her head against her chest, "What happened Merle? What did they do to Hitomi?"  
  
Merle turned her head away for a moment and replied with sadness catching in her throat, "This will make it even worse…but now that Van has let her have the taste of blood her vampire senses are growing and soon it overwhelm her and her human self will remain no longer in her body. It will die…and her vampire self will gain control of her body, a battle for the survival of one or the other is going on in her body right this very moment…" Merle felt a shadow of sadness and depression fall on her as she walked towards Hitomi's lifeless body and kneeled down next to her. She gently grabbed Hitomi by the hand and placed the sandy blonde haired female's palm to her lips, she held the kiss for a moment or two and soon the glowing sensation began once more. After a minute or two Merle replaced Hitomi's hand back down on the ground by the lifeless girl's side and sighed, she turned to Elsie who's eyes were red and puffy from crying so much, tears continued to stream down her face.  
  
"I know…how painful this must be for you, but don't worry…I placed a shield on her body and though it will not cure her problem it will at least slow down the process of it and give her more time to journey with me and find the antidote from that wretched draconian!" Merle raised a fist and shook it violently; "No one does this to my partner and gets away with it!"  
  
Merle hushed at hearing the sound of cries filled with pain and remorse. The feline girl turned to see Elsie hugging her foster daughter in her arms tightly, kissing her forehead, and stroking her cheek lovingly.  
  
"I should have kept her home…it's all my fault that this happened to her. If I had been more strong and done what I had said I would then she would still be alright and be here all cheerful and smiling. Hitomi…forgive me I have done this to you and feel so guilty!" Elsie buried her face in Hitomi's chest, her sobbing growing worse, "Please be ok…I don't care what it takes we will find this antidote and get you back to normal, you just got to fight it with all your might! I love you…I love you like my own child, it doesn't matter that I adopted you what matters is the memories that we shared…yes that's right, and I will never leave you like I always promised…never."  
  
Elsie pulled her foster daughter close and hugged her tenderly as she ran her fingers through her hair and let her tears drip onto her shirt staining it lightly. Merle sighed and decided to leave the two alone for now… "In the morning when walk with Hitomi to school I will let her know…right now…Elsie needs her more than the world does and I promise to give that to her and Hitomi, I will do my best!" Merle slowly exited the kitchen and took one last glance at the mother and daughter on the floor, 'Elsie really does love her like her own daughter…' Merle smiled whole-heartedly and then preceded upstairs to bed.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Merle walked silently next to Hitomi as the two made their way to school the next day.  
  
"Merle…" Hitomi hesitated a moment and turned to look at the feline girl, "What happened to me last night? My mind just seemed to have gone black after my body surged with pain and anguish," The emerald-eyed female looked at the blue-eyed feline gravely and turned her head down towards the pavement a bit.  
  
Merle was at a loss for words, she wanted to tell her but she thought best for it not to be known now, "Hitomi…" She rested a paw on the girl's shoulder, "Don't worry…just think about what I have told you on the matters of our new enemy."  
  
Hitomi wished to persist with her questioning but she decided to leave it alone for now and ask both Merle and Elsie later, "Yes…" Hitomi nodded her head gently as she started to walk once more with Merle close by her side, "So this must mean that I have a new partner in the business with me!" Hitomi smiled whole-heartedly as she stopped and turned to Merle throwing her hand out for her to shake.  
  
Merle laughed and replied, "Yes…glad to be onboard Miss Kanzaki! I will protect you with my life!" Merle entwined her hand with Hitomi's and the two girls shook firmly smiling with happiness at their new partnership and friendship they had formed.  
  
"Well…"Hitomi cleared her throat some and began to speak once more as the two started off again for school, "You have already saved my life twice now…and I think it is I who owes you the life saving now…" She chuckled placing her hand gently over her mouth as they walked.  
  
Merle shook her head in disappointment, "No not at all! Don't worry about it, as a bodyguard it is my job to save you hundreds of times without reassurance of you saving my life, that is what my job is…" Merle seemed to look depressed but at the same time, she raised her head back up and smiled at Hitomi trying to look cheerful so as not to let the girl on to her true feelings.  
  
"Whatever you say Merle…but still during this huge war that you say is coming up we will have to watch both of each other's backs very cautiously, and that includes me watching over you!" Hitomi skipped ahead hurriedly as she did not want to be late for school.  
  
Merle stayed behind and watched the sandy blonde haired female off in the distance, a small smile presented itself upon her lips and she thought to herself, 'Hitomi…you are so kind…I will do everything I can to protect you, I won't let you die…no not a wonderful girl like you…'  
  
As Hitomi neared the entrance she looked in at her huge high school, she smiled realizing once more that this was her last year here, but at the same time she saddened for in her senior year she knew that after it she would miss this school. She envied Merle who was just starting and a freshman.  
  
Suddenly Hitomi heard a chuckle behind her and felt something wet touch her ear, she turned in disgust to find Allen right behind her with his tongue out touching her ear and his hands massaging her hips gently.  
  
"You…PERV!" Hitomi went into rage, this time she wasn't going to feel sorry for this guy or give him a break. It was time that she taught him a lesson for good, "So Allen…you want to play huh?" Hitomi acted casually calming herself down some.  
  
Allen smiled thinking he was going to get some good feeling down time from Hitomi.  
  
He was totally caught off guard as the girl reached out with her right hand and grasped his chin; she brought his lips firmly onto hers and kissed him violently. Allen was amazed at how he almost melted at her touch.  
  
Hitomi continued to deepen the kiss and smirked as she realized how into this Allen was, then she picked just the right moment and…  
  
Allen felt his hormones quicken as Hitomi's tongue found its way into his mouth and then…he felt a surge of pain in his chest, his eyesight was blinded for a moment and then he realized that Hitomi had planted her knee into his chest. The emerald-eyed female then proceeded to let go of her grasp on his chin and rip her mouth from his spitting with disgust as she took her right arm and nailed him hard on the back with her right elbow.  
  
She watched in pleasure and amusement as the cocky blonde womanizer went down holding his stomach in pain as he crouched down on the ground groaning with pain and embarrassment. All the kids in the schoolyard had seen the little incident and Hitomi had made sure to give everyone a good view, she smiled with triumph as they all started to laugh and fall over with amusement.  
  
"I'm sorry…does that hurt?" Hitomi giggled mockingly, "They always say that love hurts…poor Allen, just be happy that I didn't make a jab at your manhood."  
  
Some how Allen managed to stand up, he then proceeded to some even in his very weakened state, grab Hitomi and begin to suck on her neck.  
  
Hitomi felt his wet lips on her neck and knew he was trying to get back at her, she felt a wave of disgust overwhelm her and knew that she would puke any minute.  
  
'Now you have broken my last string…I will show no mercy!'  
  
As Hitomi felt his lips travel down her neck and onto her shoulder she lifted her leg up swiftly right into his manhood. She pushed him off her as she felt his body slowly fall back on the ground.  
  
"Yuck!" Hitomi grabbed a towel out of her backpack and wiped of the saliva that his mouth had left on her neck and shoulder, "Never touch me again!" Hitomi stepped on the young blonde's stomach with her boots and dug the heels into him. She heard him groan with displeasure and laughed while replying, "Good I am glad that we understand one another…"  
  
With that the sandy blonde haired female lifted her foot off him and began to walk the rest of the way towards the doors that led into the school.  
  
"Hitomi! Wait!"  
  
Hitomi turned to see Merle come around the corner panting, her tail drooped from all the exhaustion she had gone through trying to follow the emerald- eyed female. Hitomi giggled a bit and watched with amusement as Merle walked over Allen's bruised and battered body that lay face first into the cement.  
  
"Did I miss anything?" The pink haired feline turned to look down at the body that she had walked across and turned back to look at Hitomi. She held a confused expression on her face and replied, "Who is that?"  
  
Hitomi wrapped her arms across her stomach as she felt it sting with pain from so much laughter, she tried to control herself and replied with almost a whisper since her voice was almost gone from so much laughing, "I'll tell you later…come on let's not be late!"  
  
With that, the two girls raced inside just as the first bell rang to start the day's lessons.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Outside on the one of the cement walls that faced the school door sat Van. His crimson eyes burned fiercely and he watched with rage as Hitomi walked inside the school all happy and giggling.  
  
"Ugh…What I would give to kill her now!" Van growled furiously, "I want her head on a silver plate delivered to me and I want to hear her last scream as I murder her!" Van shivered at the thought of these delightful thoughts.  
  
"Whoa! Getting a little carried away with our work are we?" A voice sounded out humorously.  
  
Van looked around and then sighed, he pulled his legs up against his chest and buried his face in his lap, "You stay out of this Dilandau you here!"  
  
Van raised a fist and shook it as he brought his head out of his lap slowly to examine the area.  
  
"My, how touchy we are." Out of thin air another draconian appeared, he sat on the wall next to Van shaking his finger repeatedly.  
  
Van clenched his teeth and bared his fangs at Dilandau, "I said stay out of this! Just shut up and leave me alone…" Van buried his face once more in his lap covering his head with his hands in shame at his failure the night before.  
  
"Van buddy, is this how you treat your friend from training school? Remember we studied and even ate lunch together, we were always partners in the exams," The white haired draconian brought up his left hand and stroked his cheek lightly as he cleared his throat. Dilandau had to wear glasses for the sun was hard on his eyes and so the only way he could go out was to wear these.  
  
"Don't call me buddy you failure…" Van hissed back still in a bad mood from his lost at last night's hunt.  
  
Dilandau frowned a bit and laughed, "Who you calling failure? I think it is you my friend that is the failure. Remember last night. The hunt for the Huntress? Oh yeah I think that turned out great with you letting her go so easily and all…" Dilandau continued to stroke his cheek and smiled as he watched Van shake with rage.  
  
"That's it!" Van quickly grabbed the other nineteen year old draconian by the cuffs of his shirt and shook him fiercely, "I don't care if you are were my partner in training school or even that you are my own cousin! I will kill you if you get in my way or bug me ever again!" Van growled.  
  
Dilandau made sure to keep his sunglasses straight as Van threw him back and sighed with disgust.  
  
"Ok…but one last thing…" Dilandau seemed amused by what he was about to say and grew a huge smirk on his face, "We are partners from now on, Folken told me to help you out with the next hunt…"  
  
Van turned quickly and his eyes widened with shock.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Now don't get too excited," Dilandau said trying to seem reassuring, "Remember last night when you let The Huntress taste some of your blood."  
  
Van nodded at hearing this, "Yes…that bitch…I remember."  
  
"Well…"Dilandau continued, "That taste of blood caused her vampire side to start taking over control of the rest of her body, basically meaning that her human side is dying off…"  
  
Van turned his head towards Dilandau and smiled letting his fangs show, "Perfect…thing are even more now in our favor, it's just so easy!" He licked his lips eagerly.  
  
"Wait a minute…I just heard that this new "partner" that Hitomi acquired named Merle, that feline girl that attacked you last night, has some amazing healing abilities and has placed a shield over Hitomi's body slowing down the process of the problem." Dilandau began to once more stroke his cheek as he continued on, "We have found out though that if a draconian bites her while she is in this vampire crazy mode then she will turn completely vampire and we can kill her easily enough with a stack to the heart."  
  
"So what does this have to do with me?" Van raised an eyebrow suspiciously.  
  
"Folken wants you to sneak into her bedroom at night, when she will have the vampire side of her take over and bite her, then you will stab her with a stake in the heart. I think it sounds simple enough I mean, we are even going back to old fashion ways…the whole stake thing to the heart…gross, gives me the shudders," Dilandau shook at the thought of it in his mind.  
  
Van smiled wickedly, "Finally the end of the Huntress, oh how it makes me tingle just thinking about it!" Van felt his fangs ache for some blood; he couldn't wait to feel what the blood of The Huntress tasted like.  
  
"Oh Van…" Dilandau broke the young draconian out of his fantasizing.  
  
"What?" The raven black haired draconian replied impatiently.  
  
"I have one question to ask of you…" Dilandau seemed as curious as a kitten, his eyes glowing excitedly, "Why do you never need to wear sunglasses when you are out before sun set? I mean you are draconian right."  
  
Van laughed softly and then answered firmly, "Yes I am draconian but only rarely are draconians born with crimson eyes like mine which allow me protection from the light."  
  
Dilandau nodded his head, "Oh…I see."  
  
Van sat for a moment thinking and then turned back to Dilandau, "Oh and I have one last question to ask of you before you take your leave."  
  
Dilandau's eyes studied him gently.  
  
"Aren't you the one who is going to stab Hitomi after I bite her?" Van asked confused a little.  
  
"Uh…yeah…" Dilandau shook nervously at the thinking again of stabbing her in the heart, "That's so gross! Why do you get the fun and juicy part while I get the gross and bloody part?" Dilandau whined loudly.  
  
"Well…" Van smiled evilly as he jumped off the cement wall, "I rank higher than you," Van chuckled, he could hear Dilandau's whining grow louder as he began to walk away, "Well meet me tonight outside the Huntress's residence!" Van hollered back, waving a hand.  
  
With that Dilandau disappeared.  
  
"Guess it's time for me to get to class, I am already way late," Van laughed loudly as he flicked his fingers and changed his usually outfit into a school uniform for boys.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Later in the day, Hitomi met Merle outside for lunch. The two girls picked a quiet and peaceful spot under an old willow tree and began to munch down on their lunch in the hot and humid summer afternoon.  
  
"You know…"Hitomi spit her words through the huge pieces of sandwich in her mouth, "I don't know if its my imagination or what but I believe that the draconian I fought last night was in some of my classes…" Hitomi swallowed the piece in her mouth and bit her lip, thinking hard at what she had saw earlier.  
  
Merle nodded, "No I don't think you were just seeing things…I saw him too, besides Van is following us anyways…" The pink haired feline looked over at Hitomi cautiously eying her a bit.  
  
"What do you mean by following us?" Hitomi raised an eyebrow confused at Merle's answer.  
  
"You know…observing us, like what scientists do with their experiments in a lab, he is trying to find answers to his questions like what your weakness is, how you work, stuff like that…" Merle took a bit of her apple and crunched down on the hard but mushy slice.  
  
Hitomi cringed a bit at hearing the sentence about, like what scientists do with their experiments in a lab, for some reason it made her feel uneasy and she felt as if the sandwich might not digest itself properly.  
  
"Um…Merle…" Hitomi cleared her throat deciding to change the subject for a moment, "Can you tell me more about this draconian I fought with last night?"  
  
Merle looked towards Hitomi and smiled gently, "Sure…there is a lot to tell…well…" Merle coughed and gently began her tale, "Van is the last heir to the Throne of Atlantis. He has trained many years to get at the level he is at, although he is nowhere near his brother's level. Van has psychic abilities such as teleporting, telepathy, and telekinetic. That is why he could re direct those knives of yours; he used his mind to control their direction they flew. Pretty impressive huh?" Merle eyed Hitomi who was shaking a bit nervously as Merle let the words she spoke flow from her mouth.  
  
"What's wrong Hitomi?" Merle looked at the emerald-eyed female worriedly.  
  
"No…nothing," Hitomi stuttered, "Just…that…well this is a whole new breed of draconian I am going up against, I don't know if I will be able to finish them off this time…" The sandy blonde haired female brought her head down in shame and anguish.  
  
The pink haired feline scooted over and touched Hitomi's shoulder gently with her hand, "Do not worry, you have some of these types of abilities as well. They just lie dormant inside of you now but with training we will be able to use them soon enough."  
  
Hitomi lifted her head up once more and smiled weakly, nodding, "I understand…I will do whatever it takes to avenge my parents' murders."  
  
Merle smiled back reassuringly and continued on with her tale, "Another thing we have to watch out for is that Van is very strong in both his mind and body, he can use his abilities to shield his mind from other psychic attacks."  
  
"Damn…he is powerful…" Hitomi brought a forefinger and thumb to her lips, "And to think I was that foolish to think I could win against him…" The sandy blonde haired female trailed off, she felt remorse overwhelm her, "Poor Elsie…ugh why don't I ever listen!" Hitomi thrashed about angrily screaming before she laid her head in her lap covering it gently with hands.  
  
"Hitomi…" Merle could see how much the girl was hurting and felt as if she should comfort her, but just then, Merle's breath went short as she saw the Draconian Prince himself coming their way.  
  
"Hitomi! Don't look now but our enemy is nearing," Merle whispered softly in the girl's ear while gently tapping her shoulder to get her attention.  
  
Hitomi raised her head slowly and turned to see the young draconian nearing them, "What is he doing here? He doesn't usually show up at this school," Hitomi stared at the young draconian prince oddly examining him.  
  
"Don't do anything stupid Hitomi, remember he is much more powerful…if we can, we must run…" Merle slowly got in front of Hitomi, "Don't worry if we have to fight I will protect you!"  
  
Hitomi gasped, the words got caught in her throat as the draconian walked up to them she found herself growing hot for some reason, 'what's wrong with me?"  
  
"Good afternoon…" Van bowed to the two girls respectfully and smiled gently.  
  
Hitomi felt her heart almost pound out her chest, the warm sensation became a burning sensation and it started to overwhelm her, 'What is this feeling I am getting?'  
  
"What do you want?" Merle proceeded to interrogate.  
  
"I just came here for this…" Van pushed Merle aside for a moment and kneeled down in front of Hitomi, he caught her chin once more with his right hand and brought her lips to his, kissing her passionately.  
  
'Huh? Why don't I pull away? What's wrong with me?" Hitomi felt her mind go hazy and her eyes fell shut as the young draconian placed his tongue in her mouth and sucked gently, savoring her mouth's taste.  
  
Merle's eyes shot wide open when she turned around, "What are you doing to her!" The young feline screamed, her mind raced, not knowing what to do. All she could think of was to start trying to pull Van off Hitomi, but it was no use he was too strong and heavy for her.  
  
Van felt Merle tugging on his shirt, he just flicked his left hand and watched as she was thrown against the tree trunk of the old willow and knocked unconscious.  
  
'Merle…she's in danger…why won't my body listen to mind? Why am I feeling so flustered around him now and why am I actually enjoying the kiss of his? Stop it! Let me go you vile draconian!' Hitomi screamed loudly in her mind but it was all in vain.  
  
Van deepened the kiss and entwined his tongue with hers, he brought his left hand up and caressed her neck gently, 'This is great…my psychic abilities are working, she has no control over her body and is locked within a coffin of death.'  
  
Van smiled wickedly.  
  
'Get of off me! Leave me alone! Stop it! STOP IT!' Hitomi screamed louder and louder in her mind trying to get her body to listen.  
  
As Van started to move his hand down her back, something amazing happened.  
  
Hitomi was able to regain control of her body and pushed Van away immediately, she brought back a hand and slapped him hard almost knocking him backwards. She coughed and spit all his saliva from her mouth out on the ground with disgust.  
  
'She…she…broke my psychic control? How is that possible?' Van sat stunned for a second or two holding his reddened cheek gingerly, 'Oh well…no matter, she will die tonight…' Van licked his lips and then disappeared.  
  
"Huh? Where did he go?" Hitomi turned back to let more of her anger out on the draconian but when she did she found that he was gone and nowhere to be found.  
  
"Weird…god…" Hitomi spit once more, "That was so sick…uh…I can't wait to slit his throat!" Hitomi wiped her mouth quickly.  
  
Hitomi started to get up when she saw Merle's lifeless body against the tree trunk of the willow. "Merle!" Hitomi cried, she raced over to the young feline and shook her gently. Soon the pink haired feline opened her eyes and smiled at Hitomi, "Hitomi…I am glad that you are ok, I tried to protect you but he knocked me out…" Merle breathed softly almost in a whisper.  
  
"It's ok Merle…you did a great job," Hitomi smiled encouragingly at Merle, "You're a true friend…thank you."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Later that day…  
  
"Elsie we're home!" Hitomi pranced in through the door of the small hut and walked into the kitchen, she kissed Elsie gently on the cheek and started to unload her school stuff.  
  
Merle came in huffing and puffing behind Hitomi a few seconds later.  
  
Elsie walked out of the kitchen and giggled a bit at seeing Merle, "What happened to you Merle?"  
  
"I tried to keep up with Hitomi but that girl is just too fast!" The blue- eyed feline paced in the rest of the way and fell exhausted on the carpet near the front door.  
  
Hitomi walked back out of the kitchen and spotted Merle, she laughed a bit but then silenced herself realizing that Elsie was glaring at her.  
  
"Hitomi…listen while I get Merle to her bed why don't you fix her a cup of tea?' Elsie looked over at Hitomi gently and nodded towards the kitchen.  
  
Hitomi nodded.  
  
Elsie then preceded to carry the sleeping Merle up stairs to her bedroom, "Man she's heavy!" Elsie laughed some as she proceeded down the hallway to the bedroom.  
  
After delivering the tea to Merle's room, Hitomi went to her room and laid down on her bed for a bit staring at the ceiling.  
  
The sandy blonde haired female gently raised her right hand placed her forefinger to her lips, 'His touch was so warm…' As she thought Hitomi felt her heart race, she could feel her body become warm once more. 'Why does it feel like I yearn to see him again? Ugh…' Hitomi tried to banish any kinds of those thoughts from her mind as she rolled over and wrapped her arms around herself.  
  
Hitomi's mind slowly went hazy, her eyes started to droop, and before she knew it she was fast asleep, sleeping soundly in her bed.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
In the darkness and quiet of the night, Van made his way out of the sky onto a tree that sat across peering over into Hitomi's opened bedroom window. The young draconian folded his wings gently behind him and perched on the tree, his crimson eyes glowing brightly with pleasure.  
  
"After tonight…Huntress…you will merely be a corpse of rotting flesh," Van's eyes flickered with curiosity as he watched the girl turn over in her sleep. He gently revealed his fangs and ran his tongue along them smiling evilly. His mouth let a muffled chuckle escape from it as the young crimson- eyed draconian watched the girl with full attention.  
  
Suddenly the sound of a twig snapping came from the ground below, Van's sensitive ears caught wind of it right away and he directed his head down towards where the noise occurred. Van leaned over a little more to get a better view of what made the noise, but at the same time keep himself camouflaged within the leaves of the tree.  
  
Soon enough out popped Dilandau covered in thorns and with leaves tangled in his hair.  
  
"Oh its just you…" Van sighed, realizing that it was anything interesting.  
  
"Yeah…ugh…" Dilandau proceeded to brush the leaves out of his hair and started to pull out all the thorns slowly, "You know…ouch…their yard…ouch…is a disaster…ouch…waiting to happen…ouch!" Dilandau rubbed his sore butt gently whimpering a bit with pain.  
  
"Shut up you moron!" Van quietly yelled at Dilandau, his cousin was always getting in the way and never a help at all, "You are so useless…I knew that I shouldn't have agreed to this…"  
  
Dilandau looked hurt, he began to try to climb up the tree, "Well…you had to anyways, Folken ordered it…"  
  
Van rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, I know…" Then he murmured something quietly under his breath, "I guess he really did punish me after all, getting stuck with my cousin…geez." The raven black haired draconian placed his right hand to his face. He groaned deeply, starting to regret ever taking this assignment.  
  
"What's that?" The white haired draconian asked innocently. He grabbed a branch and pushed himself up in the spot next to Van.  
  
"Nothing…just stay out of my way ok?" Van glared at Dilandau angrily as he turned his attention back towards the sleeping Hitomi in her bedroom.  
  
"Ok…but do I really have to do this whole stabbing thing. I mean what is it with the whole old fashion stake through the heart thing, that just creeps me out!" Dilandau continued to ramble on as Van pretended to ignore him.  
  
"You know what?" Van turned back towards Dilandau his eyes burning like fire with anger.  
  
"What?" Dilandau asked.  
  
"Shut up and give me the damn stake!" Van snatched the stake from Dilandau's hands and pushed him away a bit, as he got prepared to fly into Hitomi's room, "Since your such a baby then I will do it!"  
  
Dilandau remained silent knowing that anything he said would be used against him and only anger Van more.  
  
"Stay here and don't interfere!" Van shouted one last time at Dilandau before spreading his angel wings once more and flying towards the open bedroom window.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Once inside Van let his wings fold behind him, he walked over quietly to the sleeping Hitomi's bedside. Van's eyes glowed with determination and excitement as he bent over her bedside and smiled evilly.  
  
"Your blood…is mine…" Van licked his lips and once again opened his mouth to reveal a pair of long sharp fangs. "May you sleep forever…in death…young flower…" Van's eyes flickered with triumph as he placed his hands on each side of the girl's body and slowly leaned down further. He gently brushed a few pieces of hair away from Hitomi's neck, revealing pure soft skin that felt like silk to the touch.  
  
"Delicious…" Van murmured as he slowly hovered his sharp fangs over the right spot, choosing his aim carefully, and then he proceeded to bite down hard, sinking his fangs deep within her veins of blood.  
  
Hitomi did not awaken but instead moaned deeply as Van began to suck the blood as it slowly dripped from the wound. He began to bite a bit harder ripping open the thick blood veins in her neck. Hitomi's body started to shake uncontrollably as Van continued to slurp and lick at the blood as it flowed into his hot mouth. The young draconian had to place both his hands on her arms to steady her and prevent her from shaking as he continued the process.  
  
"Mmm…" Van whispered softly through gulps of blood.  
  
Hitomi's body continued to shake and she began to moan harder, her back arching gently as Van sucked on her neck harder.  
  
Van smiled wickedly as he slowly brought his fangs out deep from within her veins. His eyes flickered as he looked down at Hitomi, her forehead sweating and her body still shaking from the trauma.  
  
"Poor girl…" Van laughed wickedly, "But thank you for your blood, it was the best I have had in a while, now…" Van's eyes flickered once more turning bright red as he raised the stake up high into the air.  
  
In almost a whisper the draconian prince continued, "You must…" He took a second to carefully aim the stake towards its appropriate mark, "Die!" The prince screamed loudly as his eyes turned completely red and his fangs grew longer sticking out profoundly with blood dripping from them.  
  
Suddenly, Hitomi's body began to shake violently and before Van could get the stake to its mark, the young girl's eyes flashed open revealing two bright pairs of burning red eyes.  
  
"Huh?" Van hesitated for a second shocked by what was happening.  
  
Hitomi's body started to levitate off the bed, Van watched unsure of what to make of all of this.  
  
After a few moments, bone-cracking sounds were heard and long skeletal dragon like bones grew out Hitomi's back forming the skeletal structure of wings. In a few seconds following that, dark flaps of skin grew over the structure like a shield and two demon wings were formed. Van stood there bewildered as Hitomi's body slowly floated back down onto the bed. Van gasped for air, it felt as if someone had been choking him and then he saw Hitomi's eyes flicker open once more. The young sandy-blonde haired teenage girl sat up on the bed and faced Van, her eyes glowed a bright crimson red.  
  
"You are my awakener…" The girl spoke in a low tone, "…tell me your name…young one," Hitomi eyed Van curiously.  
  
Van gulped, he tried to speak but his voice caught in his throat and all he could murmur was, "…W…W…Who?"  
  
The young girl slowly got off the bed and walked towards Van. She tucked her wings behind her as she gently and slowly ran her hands over Van's body, caressing him.  
  
Van shivered under her touch.  
  
"My name is…" Hitomi breathed gently across his ear, making his body shake and shiver even more, "…Gabriel…" She licked the back of his ear softly and smiled wickedly as she watched Van's body almost crumble at her touch.  
  
"Oh?" Gabriel looked down at the stake in Van's clenched hand. "What's this young one?" She reached down and slowly slipped the stake free of Van's hand. Gabriel stepped back a bit and examined it, "So is this what you were planning to kill me with?"  
  
Van's mind slowly started to come back into reality, as he tried to get his bearings he spotted Gabriel in the room, "Who…who are you?"  
  
Gabriel slowly brought the stake down to her side, she walked towards Van and wrapped and arm around his back pulling him close. She slowly brought her mouth up to his ear and bite it gently whispering, "Silly boy…let me end your misery…" Gabriel chuckled softly.  
  
Van watched as the sandy blonde haired girl pulled his lips to hers and smothered him violently as she locked them both in a passionate kiss. Suddenly though Van felt a pain in his chest, he watched as Gabriel pulled away. The young draconian looked down to find the stake lodged deep in his chest, with blood slowly dripping down the stake and off into a puddle on the floor.  
  
The raven-haired draconian looked up his eyes wide with shock and pain.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry…does it hurt." Gabriel let a huge wicked grin grow across her face as she put her hand on the stake and drove it further into Van.  
  
Van stumbled back a bit falling against the wall.  
  
"This…is…impossible…why…" Van choked his words through blood.  
  
Gabriel backed away a bit and smiled once more wickedly, "Because…as long as your kind survive the dawn of a new era can not arrive…the dawn of beasts that rule the day and night!"  
  
Van felt his breath shorten as his lungs began to clog with blood.  
  
"You…bitch…" Van tried to yell but it was no use, his lungs were slowly being silenced by the blood and now all that could come from his mouth was blood and spit. He slowly slide down the wall, leaving a huge trail of blood, landing in a heap on the ground. The young draconian took his last breath and felt his eyes starting to droop as he could hear Gabriel's laughter in the background and then…  
  
"Hitomi!" Merle cried, the pink haired feline came racing in with Elsie following her.  
  
Gabriel turned suddenly to look at the two new intruders, "Who are you!"  
  
Elsie and Merle gasped. Elsie covered her mouth with a clasped hand.  
  
"Gabriel…your back," Merle narrowed her eyes.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
AN: Well I hope that you liked the chapter! ^^ I should be doing some history homework right now but I thought I would put it off so that I could finish this chapter and get it out to you guys! Please review remember and just a reminder, I love hearing your thoughts, no flames though and remember give me some ideas that you have to help with the story or that you want me to put into the plot! Oh, I have another question for you guys to answer, should I change the rating for this story. I think it should be R for all the cussing and some sexual references but I am not sure. Please let me know when you review! Oh thanks both to Sereneblaze for your great ideas! I added them in as you can see ^^. In addition, Yurkon Shensta Awking thanks to you too for that good criticism, hope you two and all the rest of you continue reading my story! Well anyways, see you all in the next chapter and remember review that makes me get out chapters faster! ^^ Hint hint.  
  
Peace out! ^_~* 


	4. Chapter 3: Change of Heart

Angel Wings  
  
Chapter 3: Change of Heart  
  
By: Rusty-chan  
  
Read and Review Please!  
  
"Be gone demon!" Merle screamed, "You don't belong here!"  
  
Gabriel looked at Merle letting a crooked smile place itself on her face. "Well I'm one smart enough to realize when I am not welcome, but I will be back…" Gabriel raised a hand and let a surge of energy fly from it.  
  
Merle felt a gust of wind blow her hard against the wall and she fell to the floor moaning with pain, "Damn…" Merle clenched her teeth hard, feeling the pain surge through her body.  
  
Gabriel smiled wickedly, "Once I have gained my power back I will be reborn into this world…" With that the demon was gone and Hitomi's fragile body fell to the floor unconscious.  
  
"Merle!" Elsie cried loudly as she raced over to the pink haired feline, checking her over for wounds.  
  
"I'm fine…" Merle gasped as she felt the air once more return to her lungs after that menacing attack, "I just…wasn't ready for that blast…" The pink haired feline placed a hand to her head and shook her head gently, "God I am going to have one splitting headache later, "Shit…"  
  
Elsie smiled gently glad that Merle was fine, "I am glad that you are ok," Elsie hugged the feline quickly, holding her tight.  
  
"Thanks Elsie…but quickly get to Hitomi and make sure she is ok while I tend to Van," Merle slowly stood up, with Elsie's help.  
  
Elsie nodded in agreement and then rushed over to Hitomi' side. The gray haired woman placed her hands on Hitomi's shoulders and shook the girl gently trying to awaken her. "Hitomi, Hitomi!" Elsie spoke firmly with worry in her eyes. "Hitomi! Wake up!" Elsie shook her harder as her voice grew more loudly with each call to her daughter. "Hitomi please open your eyes!" Elsie's eyes started to water, as her voice grew raspier from each cry. "Hitomi!" Elsie brought her daughter's head against her chest and rocked her back and forth gently crying silently.  
  
Merle heard Elsie's cries and walked over to Hitomi's body, she gently leaned down and placed her hand on Hitomi's neck, "Elsie…she has a pulse, its faint, but its there…don't worry," Merle tried to place a smile on her face as she gently put her hand on the old woman's shoulder and rubbed it tenderly.  
  
Elsie looked up, her eyes reddened and her cheeks soaked with salty tears. "You mean…she's going to be ok." Elsie's face seemed to hold high hopes as Merle nodded her head and Elsie smiled gratefully.  
  
Suddenly the two heard a moan and turned their heads toward the sound. They spotted Van's unconscious body against the wall, a trail of blood covering the wall and in his body a huge stake planted. Merle quickly rushed over as Elsie watched from afar still holding Hitomi in her arms.  
  
"I don't know if I can help him…his wound is big…but I'll try," Merle watched as Van's wings glowed brightly and then faded away as feathers fell about the two. "Here goes nothing…" Merle gently slid out the bloody stake and placed it on the floor next to her. She then proceeded to place her hands over his huge wound and close her eyes, concentrating as she tuned out all sounds or distractions. Soon enough a glow radiated from her hands and after a couple moments Elsie watched with joy as his wound completely sealed up and all that remained was the dried blood on his shirt.  
  
Merle opened her eyes once more and sighed a heavy breath, she looked back at Elsie, "Well…I have healed the wound safely, but he has lost a lot of blood, all we can do is wait now and hope that his body and mind are strong enough to get through this and heal his body fully."  
  
Elsie nodded and smiled gently as she pulled Hitomi a little closer against her chest, "Why did you help him Merle?"  
  
"Huh? What do you mean?" The pink haired feline blinked once or twice as she looked at Elsie, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"Well…" Elsie cleared her throat as she once again began to speak, "Don't you and Hitomi hunt draconians. Aren't they your hated enemies?"  
  
Merle shook her head softly and replied, "I'm just suppose to guard Hitomi, that's my job. I don't hate them or even want to hunt them, that's all Hitomi, all I care about is protecting and taking care of Hitomi."  
  
Elsie let her lips form a smile on her face, her grayish bluish eyes also forming one along with her lips, "And you do a wonderful job, thank you Merle…" Elsie scooted over and touched her hand to Merle's shoulder; she pulled the feline into her embrace as well and hugged her tightly with the one free arm, kissing her forehead gently. "You will always be apart of this family…" Elsie whispered softly through the strands of hair as she rested her head atop Merle's.  
  
Merle felt joy and happiness overcome her as she closed her eyes and let her head rest comfortably against Elsie's breast. "Thank you…Elsie…"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Outside the small hut, Dilandau continued to watch the scene from the tree that he sat atop.  
  
The white haired draconian narrowed his eyes, squinting to see as he watched Hitomi get tugged back in her bed, then Merle and Elsie carry Van out of the room to somewhere out of view down the hallway.  
  
"I must tell Lord Folken at once!" Dilandau exclaimed. With that the white haired draconian disappeared.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
After Merle had tucked Van into the extra bedroom down the hall, she returned to Hitomi's bedroom to check up on the unconscious sandy blonde haired female.  
  
"How is he Merle?" Elsie asked, concern in her voice.  
  
"Well I wrapped a bandage around his wound in his stomach and tucked him in securely, so his outlook looks bright," Merle bit her lip gently as she hoped to god that her acquisitions about whether he would live or not were right.  
  
Elsie nodded smiling weakly, "I'm glad…but Merle," Elsie paused for a second, the concern in her voice deepening, "I found these two bite marks in Hitomi's neck and guessed that they were done by Van since he was the only draconian we found in here…" Elsie pointed to two small red swollen marks on Hitomi's neck.  
  
Merle bent over the unconscious Hitomi and examined the two small wounds nodding, "Yeah…no doubt that Van did this…" The pink haired feline thought for a moment and continued, "That is what must have done this to her…"  
  
"Done what to her?" Elsie turned back to face the feline bewildered.  
  
Merle looked up at Elsie and bit her lip once more and spoke but this time with graveness in her voice, "Well…once Van bit her it completely turned her vampire killing off any of her human side left and that's where Gabriel comes in…"  
  
Elsie frowned in sadness and bewilderment as she pressed Merle for more information, "Please…tell me about this Gabriel…" Elsie gently sat down at the edge of Hitomi's bed and looked up at the feline with a pleading look upon her face.  
  
"Alright…" Merle nodded, "But it is a long tale…" The pink haired feline cleared her throat and started, "Gabriel was the very first vampire. He was the original King of the Throne to Atlantis and was the oldest vampire as well with knowledge beyond the years and powers beyond the imaginary. Anyways…after the war between vampires and humans, which took place 13,000 years ago, only two vampires survived, Gabriel and his wife Valkyrie. Gabriel and his wife wanted to have children since they hadn't had any yet and so they wished to restart the vampire race once more. Although after having fifteen or so children, Valkyrie one night never came home and when Gabriel went looking for her he found out that she had been cheating on him with an angel that she had seduced from the heavens above. Valkyrie gave birth to seven children that were half angel and half demon, their new breed was called draconian; monsters with wings that lusted for blood. After finding out about this, Gabriel was outraged and he murdered the angel; Valkyrie sulked for many days and soon wasted away dying from so much sorrow in her heart. Gabriel was so sad after his wife's death and was even more saddened as his vampire children and the draconian children fought a horrible war when they got older and all the vampire children were murdered. After that Gabriel swore revenge, but the draconian children sealed him away in a crypt and he soon died, but his soul still remains…" Merle wetted her lips gently after telling such a mouth-drying tale. She looked over at Elsie who seemed awestruck by the whole story.  
  
"So what does this have to do with Hitomi?" Elsie asked, raising an eyebrow slowly.  
  
The blue-eyed feline responded quickly with, "Gabriel's spirit is reborn in his ancestors, and Hitomi's father was Gabriel's brother. He couldn't be reborn in any of his descendants until now because they were all murdered. Although after Van bit Hitomi she turned completely and he could finally use her body, because she was now a full blooded vampire," Merle cleared her throat once more and continued, "He is waiting inside her body and slowly repairing himself, once he is completely revived he will be reborn into this world…" Merle seemed to stop and paused a second with a worried and saddened look on her face.  
  
"What is it Merle?" Elsie looked at Merle with concern in her eyes, wondering what the feline was thinking that worried her so.  
  
"Well…" Merle gulped and continued nervously, "While Gabriel is in Hitomi's body she can never be harmed, meaning she can't be killed either because otherwise Gabriel would loose his protective case to recover in, but once he has recovered fully…" Merle paused once more but then forced herself to go on, "…he will use up the full life force of the person he possess and when he is reborn into the world that person will die…" The pink haired feline turned her head down in shame; she knew how badly Elsie would take this.  
  
Elsie remained quiet for a moment and could feel tears stream down her face instantly, "Thank you…for telling me Merle…it's alright…is there anything we can do?"  
  
The elder woman turned to look at her sleeping daughter and slowly reached over touching Hitomi's cheek gently and running her hands up and down it, stroking it softly.  
  
"I don't know…give me a night to think about it…I know that I can come up with something hopefully…" Merle tried to sound reassuring as she watched Elsie try to hold back her tears.  
  
The elder woman gently leaned down and kissed Hitomi's forehead softly, she then proceeded to brush away a few hairs from her forehead with one hand while she wiped her tears away with another. "Hitomi…hang in there…I will take care of you no matter what…"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Back at the old abandoned museum on the outskirts of town, Dilandau returned.  
  
"My Lord Folken…" Dilandau kneeled down respectively as he murmured his words, "Our plan to kill the Huntress backfired and Van was badly injured, I am unsure of his status…" Dilandau paused for a second as the blue haired draconian eyed him gently looking down at him.  
  
"Continue…" Folken spoke hurriedly, he sounded impatient.  
  
"…Gabriel has awakened in the body of the Huntress…" Dilandau breathed softly almost in a whisper.  
  
Folken raised an eyebrow at this and turned his back to Dilandau, "I see…well it wasn't what I expected but still…we can use Gabriel to our advantage…" Folken placed a forefinger and thumb to his chin and thought for a second.  
  
"What do you mean my Lord?" Millerna appeared out of the air and walked towards where Dilandau kneeled, looking at Folken with a confused look upon her face.  
  
Folken remained silent for a moment. Soon a wicked smile placed itself on his face and he gently chuckled, still keeping his eyes closed and his back turned to Merle and Dilandau.  
  
Dilandau raised his head at hearing this from Folken and a bewildered look appeared on his face as he slowly stood up next to Millerna. "My Lord?" Dilandau took a step towards Folken, unsure of what he was thinking.  
  
"Are you feeling well Lord Folken?" Millerna walked close towards Folken and laid a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Folken laughed more loudly this time and threw his head back, startling Millerna and Dilandau. After a moment or so, Folken hushed once more and turned around to face the other two distraught draconians. The blue haired draconian smiled and slowly opened his eyes to look at Millerna and Dilandau.  
  
"We will persuade Gabriel to join our side…" Folken's words shocked Millerna and Dilandau.  
  
"But My Lord…" Dilandau's voice quivered with nervousness as he walked up to the King of Draconians, "Gabriel is our hated enemy and we are his! How can you get him to join us?" Dilandau had anger hinting in his voice, he was wondering if Folken wasn't insane or had already lost it a while ago.  
  
Millerna nodded in agreement and watched as Folken walked over to Dilandau, he smiled and chuckled lightly. Dilandau stared at the blue haired draconian dumbfounded. Then with Dilandau's guard off, Folken brought up one his right hand and wrapped its fingers around Dilandau's neck. He pushed the young white haired draconian up against a wall. Dilandau gasped as he felt the air in his chest get knocked out of him from the hard jolt to the wall.  
  
"Do you question my authority?" Folken asked.  
  
"No…never my lord," Dilandau felt Folken's fingers tightly their grip and he cried out in pain as he felt his lungs start to collapse, his body writhing in pain.  
  
"You lie, and I don't like liars…" Folken continued to tighten his grip, causing Dilandau's eyes to start watering in pain.  
  
"Wait…wait!" Dilandau panted as he gasped for air, clinging onto life barely, "I agree…let's get Gabriel…on…our side…just tell…me what to do…" Dilandau coughed after each words as his lungs continued to grasp what little air they could.  
  
Folken loosened his grip on Dilandau's neck and let the white haired draconian fall to the ground coughing and gasping for air. Folken stood beside the weak Dilandau and kicked him hard in the ribs making him roll over in pain, groaning with agony.  
  
"Listen up underling!" Folken let his voice sound out loud and clear as it bounced of the walls and came back ten times louder, "I might still have use for you and you must thank me for not killing you right away…I have spared your life and now I will give you a chance to redeem your pitiful self…" Folken paced in circles around Dilandau's almost lifeless body.  
  
"Yes…anything…you wish…" Dilandau held his stomach firmly and rolled over on his back in pain. He looked up at Folken's face hovering above him, his eyes trying to focus, and his lungs still trying to recover.  
  
Folken smiled wickedly as he stepped on Dilandau's hand and listened with joy at the horrible cries and screams of pain coming from the white haired draconian's mouth. "I want you to find out Van's status for me…" The King of Draconians proceeded to remove his foot from Dilandau's hand and step back, eyeing the white haired draconian carefully.  
  
Dilandau slowly lifted himself up; he felt huge pains strike him in his ribs, chest, hand, and neck. The pain felt like needles poking into him and as he tried to stand up, he used the wall as support because of the fact that after all the beating he went through he could barely see. His vision was blurry and he staggered constantly.  
  
"Oh and Dilandau…" Folken stopped the injured and fearful draconian in his tracks, "If Van is not already dead…" Folken paused and felt a smile appear upon his lips, "then kill him…"  
  
Dilandau's eyes widened with shock but he did not dare question Folken. Instead the white haired draconian just bit his tongue and disappeared after nodding his head and replying, "As you wish, my lord…"  
  
After Dilandau had disappeared Millerna walked over towards Folken, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his back whispering, "Why did you ask Dilandau to kill Van?"  
  
Folken smiled and sighed gently, he could feel Millerna's hot breath on his neck as she let the words flow from her lips. "Because…he is no longer of any use to me…he has failed…"  
  
Folken turned and cupped Millerna's chin with one of his hands, he brought her head up a bit and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes, "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"  
  
Millerna smiled warm heartedly and giggled a bit, "Yes…but I love hearing you say it…tell me again please…" She leaned into his embrace, still making eye contact with him.  
  
"You are the most beautiful angel I have ever seen…" Folken licked his lips gently and bent down, laying his lips upon those of Millerna. After a moment or two, Folken broke the kiss and once more gazed into the eyes of his angel. He gently ran his thumb up and down her cheek a bit and then moved both of his hands down to her waist, bringing her closer to him. The warmth of their two bodies radiating. Millerna smiled closing her eyes once more as she wrapped her arms around Folken's neck and pulled him in close for another taste of her sweet lips.  
  
After another moment or two, the pair broke the lovely kiss and looked into one another's eyes. "I love you Folken…" Millerna replied with the moonlight on her face as it poured in through the window.  
  
Folken's eyes softened, the blue haired draconian moved one hand from her waist up to her neck and pulled her closer against his chest. He kissed her neck gently, feeling her body shiver from the warm touch of his lips. Then as he neared her ears, he gently sucked on the lobe and then whispered lovingly into her ear, "And I love you…my angel."  
  
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Back at the hut, Merle was downstairs in the kitchen drinking coffee while Elsie had gone off to bed.  
  
Upstairs in the guest room, Van laid quietly on his bed, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Where…am I?" Van put his hand to his head and wiped away the sweat, he pushed off the covers and looked down at the huge bandage wrapped around his stomach, dark splotches of blood staining it here and there.  
  
"Now I remember… ugh…my head," Van closed his eyes and felt his head throb in pain as a headache started to develop. "That bitch…what did she do to me?" Van thought back to what happened when he had tried to stab Hitomi in the heart with a stake. His mind felt hazy and his eyes tried focusing as he looked up at the dark ceiling. "Ugh…I can't remember much of anything…" Van rolled over on his side, being careful of his wound still and felt the breeze of an open window rush in blowing across his sweaty forehead. The young draconian shivered and immediately pulled the covers back up over him.  
  
"But…how did I survive? I was sure that I would die right there and then…" Van's mind raced searching for the answer, he paused, "Did she…help me?" Van shook his head trying to throw the thought from his mind as he felt his body grow hot.  
  
"No…she is The Huntress, there would be no reason to help me and especially since I wouldn't want help from her anyway even if she offered it…" Van felt his body tingle with sensation at the mention of her name. "What's wrong with me?" Van shoved the covers off once more and tried to stand up, he swung his legs off the bed and proceeded to slowly get up steadying himself against the wall. He placed one free hand on his cheek and felt his skin burning, "Am I sick?"  
  
Another blast of cold air came from the window, it washed over Van's body and made him shiver some, but he did not return to the safety of the covers. Instead the young draconian walked towards the window and looked up out at the full moon.  
  
"Beautiful…" Van murmured softly as he felt another breeze blow his hair back out of his face. The raven haired draconian smiled softly gazing out at the moon and for a moment or so he actually felt calm and at peace.  
  
Images started to appear abruptly in Van's mind, he felt pain sting his body even more and stumbled back, holding a hand to his head. "What's…going…on?"  
  
'Van…' It was Folken, he was talking to the raven-haired draconian telepathically.  
  
'Ugh…I hate when you do this…' Van braced his back up against a wall as the conversation continued.  
  
'My little brother…you have failed me, and I am afraid that I must terminate you…'  
  
'What!' Van bit back sharply.  
  
'But there is one thing you can do to prove your worth to me…'  
  
'Anything…what is it?' Van sounded as if he was pleading almost.  
  
'…You can finish the job you started when you came here…the Huntress is defenseless…' Folken answered.  
  
'But…' Van felt himself hesitate.  
  
'You either do this or face the death penalty for insubordination…now GO!' Folken demanded and then his voice vanished and Van's mind was once again free.  
  
Van shook his head and felt his mind clear once more. The crimson-eyed draconian sighed and looked back out to the moon, he frowned in sadness a bit, "Why do I feel so bad about doing this? I usually would go ahead and do it right away without question but now…I hesitate and feel my heart throb…" Van placed a hand over his heart, "What is this painful throbbing that makes me feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest? Whenever I mention her…" Van felt his face grow warm once more but he just shook it off and decided to follow through with Folken's orders.  
  
"Now where did I put it?" Van bent down under his bed and shuffled around some, "Ah ha here we go!" He pulled out another stake and looked at, examining it carefully.  
  
He then sighed once more and let his hand with the stake drop down to his side as he rushed out of the room and tiptoed down the hallway to Hitomi's room.  
  
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Upon nearing the door of Hitomi's room, Van hesitated once more and looked down at the stake by his side thinking, 'Should I really be doing this?' Van once more brushed the thoughts away and gently grabbed the door handle, turning it slowly and pushing the door open softy, making sure not to make too much noise to awake anyone else in the house.  
  
The crimson-eyed draconian was welcomed by pitch-black darkness, his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the room and he peered over at the bed with a young sleeping girl on it. Slowly he walked towards the bed, all the time gazing at the young girl, watching her chest rise and fall slowly.  
  
Van was almost startled as the girl turned over in her sleep and pulled the cover tighter around her; she now lie on her back. As he neared the edge of the sleeping girl's bed, he felt his mind grow hazy yet again and pain surge throughout his entire body. Van tried to keep his balance as he saw images pushed into his mind, 'What is this?' Van wondered.  
  
An image of him appeared. Then he saw a girl running towards him in the vision and when she tried to hug him his image faded away. He watched in the vision as the girl cried and fell to the ground calling out his name with despair.  
  
'What is this vision I am having?'  
  
Van was knocked out of his thoughts by the moaning sounds of the girl on the bed, he could see beads of sweat forming on her forehead as her body began to shake softly, her moaning growing louder.  
  
Then it hit him, 'Is she dreaming about me?' Van raised one eyebrow and gently kneeled down next to the girl's bedside, he gazed at her his crimson eyes flickering in the darkness of the room.  
  
Then the girl turned towards him, it almost made him jump back but he realized that she had not awakened yet. Van felt the burning sensation once again return, 'I feel tempted to kiss her…and yet…its forbidden…but…' Van gazed at her longingly as he watched her turn away from him.  
  
"Just…this once…" Van felt the stake drop from his grip and he slowly raised himself a bit, he placed one hand on either side of the girl's body, he started to lower his face down towards hers. He paused when both their noses were just about touching and gazed at her once more, "Beautiful…" The young draconian felt himself overcome with so much emotion that as soon as he closed his eyes he felt his lips find their place upon Hitomi's. A burst of warmth skyrocketed through Van's body and he felt himself inclined to slip his tongue slowly into her mouth, gently running it over Hitomi's. The girl moaned softly still dreaming as the draconian slowly pulled away after a moment or so and smiled down upon her.  
  
"Get better soon…for me…" Van bent down and gently kissed the girl's forehead, he watched with delight as the girl smiled weakly and replied in her sleep, "Thanks…Elsie…"  
  
Van smiled weakly, but he felt himself overcome with a bit of sadness and frustration as he slowly brought himself back up and gazed at her one last time before exiting the room and returning to his own.  
  
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Well what did you think? I know it was rather rushed at the end and Van was a little too mushy but I loved that scene, I think it was very nicely done! Anyways, also about the Millerna and Folken relationship, I actually think its nice too, I mean I know some people find it weird but I think with some work it could get pretty interesting since it's a main part of the story. Oh yeah and I also am trying to make Dilandau more of a bulky and tough character in the upcoming chapters so please bare with me if you are a Dilandau fan and hate how I portray him ^^. Please send me more of your thoughts and comments! I love hearing from my reviewers and getting new ideas from you guys! Please review! I love getting reviews and if more people review then I get stuff out faster. Oh yeah I am going to wait for a bit on the next chapter and wait for some more reviews ^^. Also a BIG thanks to Stifled Silence who gave me the idea for the romantic scene between Van and Hitomi, thanks again, and I love you sweetie^^! My apologies for forgetting. Hope you all are enjoying the story so far! See everyone in the next chapter, peace out ^_~* 


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